MechCommander 2 - Liao Campaign Walkthrough - Part 1

Updated on May 3, 2015

This guide continues the level walkthroughs for MechCommander 2, covering the first 4 missions in the Liao campaign. The Liao campaign is the second part of the game coming after the Steiner portion which can be found here. All portions of this guide and its previous parts have been written for Veteran difficulty for reasons explained in the Steiner part 1 guide.

Tips to Remember:At this point in the game you will start capturing a large variety of Clan weaponry, having Clan versions of pretty much every weapon by the end of this campaign. It is very important to start swapping out your loadouts so you are using as many Clan weapons as possible. They all have higher rates of fire than their Inner Sphere variants with essentially the same requirements, making a major difference in these missions. Its also a good idea to put some extra armor plates on your mechs since the enemies start hitting exceptionally hard in this campaign.

Using the Long Tom to defend against Steiner reinforcements.

Turning the SRM Turrets against the Atlas.

Mission 1 - Liberate: Gulag

The first mission in the Liao campaign has you rescuing a local prison complex holding a group of Rebels which some Steiner forces have decided to demolish.

Weight Limit (Tonnage): 280Starting RPs: 6,000

Primary Objectives:

Destroy All Gulag Defenses 22000 C-Bills

Destroy Steiner Reinforcements 14500 C-Bills

Destroy All Airfield Defenses 22000 C-Bills

Extract 8000 C-Bills

Secondary Objectives:

Capture Steiner HQ 8000 C-Bills

Loadout:Try to bring a squad of mechs with some sensors, jump jets (not imperative but useful) and the Atlas you should have from previous missions for pure stopping power. My load-out consisted of a Starslayer, Men Shen, Lao Hu and Atlas.

Tips to remember in Liberate: GulagDon't bother rushing towards the prison as its destruction by the forces that start out attacking it doesn't seem to be tied to any of your objectives or mission success in any way. Eventually the Steiner forces will stop attacking the few remaining buildings anyway. Also you don't have to worry about airstrikes, even after Colonel Renard talks about scrambling the bombers.

After taking the prison complex you will want to call down a Long Tom artillery on the west ridge that overlooks the complex in preparation for the reinforcements. You will have to face several mechs of both the Hollander and Hunchback types, both which can hit extremely hard and wreck your mechs. Long Tom shells will help drop these heavy weapons platforms quickly. If you can salvage the Zeus you had to down at the Gulag in decent condition, it's firepower will help out significantly.

Make sure you are fully prepared and mechs in good condition before approaching the Airfield as there is an enemy Atlas to face off against here. If you can capture the SRM Turrets early on in the fight, they can be very useful in this fight.

Capturing the LRM base early on with the Lao Hu.

Fending off the attacking element waves in the LRM base.

Mission 2A - Mobile Intercept: Killdeer

This level in MC2 now tasks your mercenary forces with intercepting a series of convoys that are destined for 2 different bases in the area. All four groups will travel down the single main road on this map, coming from the east and traveling west.

Weight Limit (Tonnage): 210Starting RPs: 10,000

Primary Objectives:

Destroy Element A 18000 C-Bills

Destroy Element B 18000 C-Bills

Destroy Element C 18000 C-Bills

Destroy Element D 18000 C-Bills

Extract 7000 C-Bills

Loadout:It is important to have both a sensor mech and jump jet capable mech for this mission as there is a base to capture that is incredibly difficult to assault otherwise. In my playthrough i took a Men Shen for sensors, Lao Hu for jump jets and Zeus for additional fire support.

Tips to remember in Mobile Intercept: KilldeerThe first thing you want to do upon starting this mission is to capture the resource building to the east of your starting location as it will soon be overrun by the advancing elements. The very next task of your should be to then have your jump jet capable mech hop the islands directly west of your starting location to capture the turret control for the LRM base to the west, clearing out the vehicles that reside within with the help of the turrets before joining back up with your forces. Don't forget the resource buildings that are in this LRM base as well.

There are two Ullers by the extraction point worth eliminating and salvaging later (after mission) to add to your arsenal of clan mechs which are significantly more powerful than Inner Sphere mechs of the same weight. They will power up and give chase to your forces if you approach the mountains the extraction point is located on. There is a Vulture that is part of one of the elements heading to the LRM base which is much more worthy of mission RPs.

The northwest turret base will have some of the elements stopping here instead of making the full trip to the southwest LRM base. It is best to clear the forces here out over the course of the mission, first eliminating the original defenders before returning here after a new element decides to take position there. This prevents the defenders from becoming too numerous and giving you a hard time when it comes to wiping them out later.

Capturing the resource buildings in the base south of point 1.

Capturing the Steiner HW base by approaching from point 4, thus avoiding the turrets.

Mission 2B - Facility Assault: Hijack

In Facility Assault: Hijack, it is time to really mix things up in Carver 5, pitting the Steiner and Davion forces against each other by attacking the western Steiner bases with mechs salvaged from the east Davion base.

Weight Limit (Tonnage): 160Starting RPs: 0

Primary Objectives:

Capture Davion Weapons Facility 12000 C-Bills

Capture Steiner Weapons Facility 12000 C-Bills

Capture Steiner Headquarters 16000 C-Bills

Extract 3000 C-Bills

Secondary Objectives:

Capture Resource Buildings at Davion Base 5000 C-Bills

Salvage Davion 'Mechs at Salvage Yard 5000 C-Bills

Loadout:It is essential to bring either a Men Shen or a Raven for the ECM they provide in this mission, there is no real alternative to this. I decided to take the Men Shen as its superior armor and firepower are needed here. Next bring a jump jet mech, in this case I used a Starslayer that can fight at close range effectively, this being necessary to capture 14,000 RPs at the start of the mission. Finally fill out the rest with a medium support mech, which I used a Bushwhacker for.

Tips to remember in Facility Assault: HijackMake sure you take your ECM mech and destroy the two sensor towers while your other two mechs stay outside their radar range. If your mechs are picked up on the enemy radar, you will end up facing an overwhelming force of Davion mechs that can easily spell doom on Veteran difficulty. After these sensors are clear, remember to capture the resources located on both the islands to the west and east of the strip of land you start on with your jump jet mech before heading further onwards.

Avoid the Davion forces that guard the ridge that exists southwest of the base below point 1, instead flanking these forces by hugging the right side of the map. Use some of the RP you captured to recover one of the salvageable mechs at point B, capture the repair bay and get your other mechs in good condition before assaulting the base south of you for the 5 resource buildings it holds. Also avoid taking the southern bridges, sticking to the north bridge only, especially the central one which is mined.

When assaulting the final base, it is best to flank this location as well by hugging the river and curving around to point 4, approaching point 3 from the south. The open field north of point 3 is heavily mined and it's east side is defended by turrets which will be joined by the mechs within if attacked directly. Coming up from point 4 allows you to enter the base from an open, undefended side and take out the chewy center directly.

Catching the Thor in a fiery gas tank explosion.

Using a captured Gauss Turret base against the pat rollers.

Mission 3 - Remote Assault: Eclipse

The next level in the Liao campaign has you fighting on the moon of Carver 5, bereft of any support and with limited forces against a heavily defended facility. Your task here will be to destroy they HPG network that is built here, effectively cutting off all interstellar communication from Carver 5.

Weight Limit (Tonnage): 230Starting RPs: 0

Primary Objectives:

Destroy Both HPG Transmitters 30000 C-Bills

Capture Weapons Facility A 12000 C-Bills

Capture Weapons Facility B 12000 C-Bills

Capture Weapons Facility C 12000 C-Bills

Destroy Davion Dropship 20000 C-Bills

Extract 6000 C-Bills

Loadout:You can pass up on sensors or even jump jets for this mission as neither will really be needed compared to the vastly more important necessity of bringing heavy mechs. Two Zeus and a Shootist were my loadout for this mission, although modified with clan weaponry and extra armor plating. Whatever you bring here needs to withstand and deal some serious punishment.

Tips to remember in Remote Assault: EclipseYour first task should be to head to points 4 and 5 on the map taking care to approach until you hear a powered up mech notification. Retreat so you can detonate the gas tanks that are lined up west of the Dropship as soon as the Thor and Ryoken that make up the defenders here, show up on your vision. This will either destroy or sufficiently wreck these two mechs, allowing you to finish them off with some kiting. Stay away from the Thor in particular as it has a Clan Ultra Heavy Autocannon that is close range only but does serious damage. There will be a sensor control building here to give you eyes over this mission and a repair bay to use for any damaged mechs.

The Gauss Turret bases are incredibly deadly with potent damage potential and long range and should be avoided at all costs. However, if you manage to capture one, it can be used to great effect in destroying the patrolling mechs in the area.

Enter the crater bases from the western ramp entrance that sits undefended, making sure to capture the repair bay and Gauss Turret base directly to the northeast of said ramp. This base will give you a point to kite enemies to if necessary and a nearby repair bay if you take damage. Entering from this direction also gives you quick access to the control towers that govern the large field of Autocannon Turrets that populate the central crater, giving you an amazing kill-zone to work with. Use this central base to pull all the defenders from the other objective locations, kiting them to their quick doom.

More by this Author

This walkthrough covers Act II "Ice" of the video game Age of Empires 3, providing a detailed guide for each of the eight missions that make up this section of the main campaign along with video playthroughs...

This guide will cover the third and final act of the PC Strategy game, Age of Empires 3, which is titled Steel. Within you will wind walkthroughs of each level along with video playthroughs providing an even more...

The fourth mission in the Balancing the Books chain of the EVE Online beginner career arc serves as an semi-introduction to the Hacking mini profession, which typically involves the scanning down of Radar exploration...